Music has long been a powerful tool for social commentary and activism. The recent protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have inspired musicians from various genres to speak out against the agency's actions. In response to the deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis, several artists have released songs and albums condemning the government agency.
Bruce Springsteen, known for his powerful protest music, has written "Streets of Minneapolis." The song's lyrics recall another classic protest song, "Streets of Philadelphia," which addressed the AIDS crisis. In this case, Springsteen addresses the arrival of "Trump's thugs" in Minneapolis and how their actions led to the deaths of Good and Pretti. The chorus repeats the phrase "We'll remember the names of those who died on the streets of Minneapolis."
My Morning Jacket has also responded with a benefit album titled "Peacelands," which includes acoustic renditions of songs by Brian Wilson, the Velvet Underground, and other notable artists. All proceeds from the LP will go to various charities, including the ACLU, Doctors Without Borders, and the International Rescue Committee.
NOFX, known for their punk rock style, has released a song titled "Minnesota Nazis." The lyrics blast ICE agents who hide behind masks, questioning why they need to cover up if they are part of the master race. The song is a call to action against the agency's brutal tactics.
Billy Bragg has also written a song called "City of Heroes," which was inspired by Renee Good's death. The lyrics reflect on how the author stood up to ICE agents, echoing Pastor Martin Niemöller's Holocaust protest poem "First They Came." Bragg stated that he wrote this song as a tribute to the bravery of the people in Minneapolis who continue to resist ICE.
Dropkick Murphys have also released a song called "Citizen I.C.E.," which was originally recorded two decades ago. The new version is a tongue-in-cheek recruitment song for ICE, with lyrics that poke fun at the agency's inadequacies.
Finally, Bon Iver has posted a live recording of their gospel-inflected song "Naeem (Can't You Hear Crying)," which will raise money for the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. The song was recorded exclusively on Bandcamp and will support those organizing to protect against ICE.
These musicians are using their platforms to speak out against the injustices perpetrated by ICE, inspiring others to join in the resistance.
Bruce Springsteen, known for his powerful protest music, has written "Streets of Minneapolis." The song's lyrics recall another classic protest song, "Streets of Philadelphia," which addressed the AIDS crisis. In this case, Springsteen addresses the arrival of "Trump's thugs" in Minneapolis and how their actions led to the deaths of Good and Pretti. The chorus repeats the phrase "We'll remember the names of those who died on the streets of Minneapolis."
My Morning Jacket has also responded with a benefit album titled "Peacelands," which includes acoustic renditions of songs by Brian Wilson, the Velvet Underground, and other notable artists. All proceeds from the LP will go to various charities, including the ACLU, Doctors Without Borders, and the International Rescue Committee.
NOFX, known for their punk rock style, has released a song titled "Minnesota Nazis." The lyrics blast ICE agents who hide behind masks, questioning why they need to cover up if they are part of the master race. The song is a call to action against the agency's brutal tactics.
Billy Bragg has also written a song called "City of Heroes," which was inspired by Renee Good's death. The lyrics reflect on how the author stood up to ICE agents, echoing Pastor Martin Niemöller's Holocaust protest poem "First They Came." Bragg stated that he wrote this song as a tribute to the bravery of the people in Minneapolis who continue to resist ICE.
Dropkick Murphys have also released a song called "Citizen I.C.E.," which was originally recorded two decades ago. The new version is a tongue-in-cheek recruitment song for ICE, with lyrics that poke fun at the agency's inadequacies.
Finally, Bon Iver has posted a live recording of their gospel-inflected song "Naeem (Can't You Hear Crying)," which will raise money for the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. The song was recorded exclusively on Bandcamp and will support those organizing to protect against ICE.
These musicians are using their platforms to speak out against the injustices perpetrated by ICE, inspiring others to join in the resistance.
. But seriously, it's awesome to see artists speaking out against these harsh policies. I mean, who needs a mask when you can just rock out? Bruce Springsteen's new song "Streets of Minneapolis" is giving me all the feels, and I'm low-key hoping NOFX's "Minnesota Nazis" is a call to action for more people to speak up 
. And Bon Iver's charity single is so cool – music really can bring people together... or at least, that's what I keep telling my Spotify friends 
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like no one's doing anything about it, you know? The fact that people have to die for speaking out against this is just wild 
. I mean, what kind of society allows this kinda treatment of immigrants? It's all about playing the victim and hiding behind some mask, but we're not buying it, right? 
Those musicians are like, totally on point with their messages, you feel me? From Springsteen to Bon Iver, they're using their platforms to speak truth to power and make a difference. We need more of this kinda activism, like, now 
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. It's heartbreaking, man. We gotta keep pushing for change and make sure our leaders are held accountable 
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it's amazing how music can bring people together like this... I feel like we're seeing a whole new wave of protest music that's not just about rage but also hope and resilience 
Bruce Springsteen's song "Streets of Minneapolis" is giving me chills, those lyrics are so powerful 
what I'd love to see more of is musicians using their platforms to amplify marginalized voices, not just singing from their own experiences but also centering the stories of people who are directly affected by ICE policies 
it's like they're channeling the whole energy of the protests into a powerful call to action... what do you think is the most important thing these artists are trying to say with their music? 
. It's great to see artists using their music as a form of activism, it really makes a difference 
but I had to jump in because I'm still fuming about all this ICE stuff 
. I mean, I get it, music is a powerful tool for change and all that, but can we please take a step back and talk about the systemic issues here? It's not just about a few rogue agents or even Trump (although let's be real, he's not exactly helping matters 
). We need to be talking about how ICE is structured in the first place and how it affects entire communities. I know some of these artists are doing great work raising awareness and supporting charities, but we can't just stop at that. We need to keep pushing for policy changes and holding our leaders accountable 
but what really gets me is that NOFX's song "Minnesota Nazis" just drops a scathing reality check 
I mean, can't we all just agree that hiding behind masks isn't gonna make you any less of a racist? The thing is, these artists are doing more than just making music - they're using their influence to raise awareness and funds for the causes they care about 
my fave is the NOFX song "Minnesota Nazis", that's just straight fire 
, the way they're questionin the hypocrisy of ICE agents who are supposed to be protectin us but are really just perpetuatin harm is so sickening. at the same time its inspiring to see artists takin a stand and using their voices for good 
can't just release a song & album and expect everything to magically get better 